The once-in-a-decade "Industry Icon Award" honors those very rare individuals whose contributions have had the deepest positive impact on the adult entertainment industry.

Flynt exemplifies the spirit, global infamy both within and outside of the industry, and has set the bar for all who aspire to excellence.

Peers of the industry icon lauded Flynt’s outstanding contributions and his unrelenting courage.

Free Speech Coalition executive director Diane Duke said, "Larry Flynt is inspirational in his relentless protection of free expression. He is provocative, as he always pushes the envelope of what society deems appropriate, leaving a wake of people saying, ‘Did he really just do that’ He has built an empire on tantalizing titillation. Icon? Hell, that's an understatement!"

XBIZ President and publisher Alec Helmy agreed and commented that Flynt was without a doubt the first choice for this special inaugural XBIZ award.

"Few individuals ascend to the status of ‘icon’ in any industry, and it is with the utmost respect and gratitude that XBIZ bestows this honor on Larry Flynt, a true pioneer, visionary and relentless crusader for First Amendment rights. His incredible accomplishments and invaluable contributions in every area of the adult entertainment industry have made him not only a hero to those within adult, but also a larger-than-life global celebrity," Helmy said.

Cambria, one of Flynt’s closest confidants and himself a crusader for civil liberties, also praised Flynt’s accomplishments.

"I have the pleasure of representing some of the most dedicated and accomplished people in the movie and publication industry and Larry stands out as one of the true believers in the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment. He is dedicated, fearless and always at the forefront of defending our right to free expression and he is a leader in exposing the hypocrisy of government and religious leaders. His legal battles have served to establish a body of law important which advances free expression for all of us. His First Amendment balls wouldn’t fit in a dump truck," Cambria said.

Commenting on the honor, Flynt said, "I am truly honored to be selected for the first XBIZ Icon Award. This is a dynamic industry and I have always been proud to be a part of it."

About XBIZ

XBIZ™ is the adult entertainment industry's leading source for business news and information, providing late-breaking coverage of the industry at XBIZ.com and in three trade publications — XBIZ World for the digital media market, XBIZ Premiere for the retail market and XBIZ Sensuals for the pleasure products market. In addition, XBIZ hosts four annual trade events, XBIZ Summit, XBIZ Eu, XBIZ Retail Expo and XBIZ L.a., which culminate with the annual XBIZ Awards, a red carpet gala event honoring the most influential members of the industry. XBIZ is frequently cited in the media for coverage of the rapidly evolving adult entertainment industry and has been published in CNN, Fox News, Newsweek, MSNBC, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Wired, ABC, USA Today and Los Angeles Times among others.

About XBIZ Awards

For a decade, glitz, glamour and the biggest names in the world of adult entertainment have made the XBIZ Awards show the biggest red carpet spectacle of the year and the most-prestigious symbol of success within the industry. Each year, the star-studded event attracts a-list movers and shakers of the multi-billion dollar adult entertainment industry, hosting icons such as Jenna Jameson and Hustler founder Larry Flynt. Since its beginnings, the XBIZ Awards has grown into a mega gala event seducing the media and generating tidal waves of buzz throughout the adult entertainment biz. Now in its tenth year, with an expanded list of more than 140 award categories, the 2012 awards show is set to feature the most expansive array of categories in XBIZ Awards history.

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